Previously
- Amy tells Steph that Lyn is the anonymous wellness centre donor
- As a result, Steph tells Amy that their business partnership is over
- Susan informs Jack that some complaints have been made against him in his new counsellor role
- A well- meaning Lyn exacerbates Jack's problems by challenging one of the complaining parents
- Susan tells Jack she'll have to suspend him while they look into the complaints
- Gary tells Sheila the less they know about one other's movements the night Hamish died, the better
- We're reminded of the plant Sonya bought Toadie, which has become symbolic of their relationship
- Toadie jokes that Sonya doesn't think he can keep the plant alive till Christmas. She agrees
Lassiter's Complex
Sonya and Nell arrive in the courtyard to find Karl reading the West Waratah Star. Karl notices Toadie appearing outside his office behind Sonya, with a worse-for-wear-looking pot plant in his hands! Toadie sees Sonya from behind and quickly ducks back inside again! Karl says nothing to Sonya about it, instead admiring the Christmas decoration that Nell has been making.
Toadie re-emerges without the plant, gesturing silently to Karl that he needs his help. He then greets Sonya and Nell, who invite him to come fairy-hunting with them at the lake. Toadie makes an excuse, saying he's got a 'tricky situation' to resolve. Sonya and Nell leave for the lake, and Toadie frantically admits to Karl that the plant Sonya gave him is dying.
KARL: The symbol of your relationship? The one I told you to give extra-special care to?
TOADIE: Yes, yes - Doc, you've gotta help me!
KARL: Well, I've got a bigger pot at home... I suppose some of my extra-special fertiliser might help...
Karl tells Toadie to pop over this afternoon.
TOADIE: I don't think it's gonna last that long! I've got to do whatever I can to save it!
Karl rolls his eyes as Toadie rushes off, and goes back to his paper.
Erinsborough High School
Jack is carrying his possessions out of school in a box - and when Yashvi asks him about their session later, he explains that he's 'taking a break' from the counsellor role. Yashvi correctly guesses it's due to the complaints, but Jack is reluctant to say any more, and leaves.
Susan appears, and Yashvi asks her what's happened. Susan explains that another counsellor will be drafted in to fill in for Jack while she resolves the complaints about him. Yashvi is snarky about Susan 'giving away his job', and remarks that the situation 'sucks'.
Harold's Café
Elly is taking a call from Susan about finding a temporary replacement for Jack. Amy overhears, and Elly explains to her about Jack's suspension as a result of the complaints. Elly also explains what happened with Lyn and the parent, which made things worse. Amy tells Elly that Steph has thrown her off the wellness centre project, also because of Lyn.
ELLY: Shoving you out a week before the opening - it's pretty harsh.
AMY: Yeah, it definitely hurts. She was mad. The damage to our friendship hurts more, though.
Elly advises Amy to try and talk to Steph again, and not give up on their friendship, offering up her situation with Paige as a comparator. Amy looks thoughtful.
No 30
Steph apologises to Jack for Lyn's role in his suspension, but says she's back in Bendigo now, so can't do any more damage. Jack says he was in bother before Lyn got involved, and offers to help out with the wellness centre renovations in the meantime. Steph has another idea in mind for a distraction for Jack, and kisses him - but at that moment Amy arrives to see her.
Amy tells Jack she heard about his suspension, and offers to write a declaration of support as a parent. Jack thanks her, and leaves them to it to make some calls. Steph is keen to leave too.
AMY: Steph, I know I stuffed up. And I can understand why you're angry, but I had good intentions. I really was trying to save the centre.
STEPH: Yeah, I know - I know. You were just doing what you thought was best.
AMY: Yeah, well, we can move past this. Just say the word and I'm back.
STEPH: No. No, I mean, you wouldn't recognise the plans now anyway. It's a long way from what you originally imagined.
AMY: Please, Steph. I was so excited to work with a friend. Someone that I really admire.
STEPH: Well, I wanted that too. But now I've not only lost the original vision of the centre - I've lost my trust in you.
Harold's Café
Toadie is begging Elly for help with repotting his ailing plant, when Sonya and Nell appear at the door. Toadie hurriedly tells Elly to change the subject.
SONYA: How is the tricky job going?
TOADIE: Umm, it's still too early to tell.
Nell explains that they're here to pick up a treat for Kirsha. Sonya also wants to arrange a small Christmas party for the neighbours, to bring some festive cheer after what's happened with Hamish.
SONYA (to Toadie): Have you been doing gardening? (...) You smell like potting mix!
Toadie claims he ran into Karl who'd been working in his greenhouse, so some of the smell must have rubbed off on him! Sonya is confused by Toadie's odd behaviour, but before she can say any more, he runs off again.
Erinsborough High School
Yashvi is talking to Jimmy about Kirsha's slow recovery, and how it's making things difficult at home - a situation exacerbated by Mishti and Dipi's 'weird psychic sister fight', the cause of which Yashvi hasn't yet ascertained. Jimmy suggests they should come up with a method of helping Kirsha relax, and suggests a game of chess.
YASHVI: I guess that could help her fall asleep.
As they're talking, resident numbskull Luke Browne (last seen spreading muck about Xanthe and Finn) saunters by, slagging off Jack.
LUKE: Priest lost his job. Total burn! I've been suss on him since he started! I expected the school to stick up for him, but it was almost too easy!
Yashvi and Jimmy are suspicious that Luke may know something about Jack's complaints...
Harold's Café
Elly runs into Amy, and asks how things went in her chat with Steph. Amy explains it didn't go to plan, and is worried she and Steph won't come back from this. But Elly suggests just giving Steph some more time, and that they'll work it out eventually. In the meantime, Elly offers to help Amy sign up for a dating app, to take her mind off things and give her a bit of an ego boost.
ELLY: Plus we can laugh at all the guys who can't spell!
Amy remarks that she didn't get much attention the last time she set up a dating profile, but Elly says that's a reflection on the profile, not her. She advises Amy to treat the profile like an 'aspirational sales pitch'. Elly demands Amy hand over her phone so they can get started.
No 30
Yashvi reports her suspicions about Luke to Jack and Steph, suggesting that he orchestrated the smear campaign against Jack. Jack warns that they have no real evidence, so Yashvi suggests that they go and find some witnesses to Luke's crimes. Jack says they'd have come forward already if they were going to, but thanks Yashvi for her efforts. Yashvi sighs and leaves.
Once she's gone, Steph suggests that Jack mention all this to Susan - as if there's only one student behind all the complaints, it would help Jack's case. Jack is sceptical that Luke has any rational motive, and doesn't want to get him into trouble if he's innocent.
STEPH: You're just too honourable for your own good.
Lassiter's Complex
Toadie is furtively repotting the plant outside his office, when Sonya and Nell appear nearby, still fairy-hunting. He tries to dart inside again, but Sonya catches him in the act!
TOADIE: It's not what it looks like!
SONYA: It looks like you're trying to repot a dead plant.
TOADIE: ... Then it looks pretty accurate. I'm sorry.
Toadie admits he overwatered the plant. Sonya is philosophical.
SONYA: Well, I knew you would.
TOADIE: Yeah, but it's a special plant! The one that I was meant to look after, and care, and love. It's a symbol of us!
SONYA: No it's not - it's a plant!
TOADIE: No, it represents us getting back together. Our renewal. And now I've killed it!
SONYA: ... It's not a big deal, I promise you! (...) Come on, we don't need symbols of love, yeah? We've got each other, okay? We've got Nellyfish. Oh, sweetie - it's okay!
Toadie hugs Sonya, still looking contrite.
Harold's Café
Elly continues to help Amy with her dating profile, by asking her what her hobbies are.
AMY: I like kicking the footie with Jimmy?
ELLY: ... Hmm. (typing) 'I work hard; I play hard.'
David arrives, having been summoned to assist with the task, and emphasises the importance of photographs in a successful dating profile.
AMY: What about this one of me and Jimmy? That's fun!
ELLY: No.
Elly vetoes another picture of Amy looking sweaty, before they agree on a selfie of the pair of them. Amy duly captions it with the words, 'I'm on the left', lest there be any confusion. She then passes the phone back to Elly, who does some 'face-tuning' - before publishing the profile online. Everyone looks excited.
Erinsborough High School
Yashvi accosts Bec, whom we learn has recently dated Luke, and asks if she knows whether Luke had anything to do with Jack being suspended. Bec is reluctant to answer, but Yashvi continues to hassle her. Eventually Bec admits that she spoke to Jack about her relationship with Luke, and then broke up with him, quoting something Jack said to her.
Yashvi realises Luke must hold Jack responsible for the break-up, which is why he decided to publish all the fake complaints. Yashvi tries to persuade Bec to tell Susan about this, claiming that Bec owes Jack for trying to help her.
Meanwhile, Susan and Elly are looking over CVs for potential replacements for Jack. Susan says they need to be prepared that Jack's suspension may be permanent if they can't resolve the complaints, as she doesn't want the situation to adversely affect their funding application.
Yashvi and Bec turn up at the office. Yashvi tells Susan that Bec has something to share.
No 26
David and Amy are pleased at the level of response Amy has been getting on her dating profile, concluding that Elly must really know her stuff. Amy has identified a suitor she likes the look of, named Danny.
DAVID: Cute smile!
Jimmy comes in, and asks them what they're doing. Amy reluctantly admits she's on a dating app, apparently afraid of Jimmy's response.
JIMMY: That's all?
AMY: Oh. Thanks for not being weird about it.
JIMMY: Well, I mean, you've dated before.
AMY: Do you want to have a look?
JIMMY: No. Thanks. That would be weird.
But Jimmy can't resist a peek over Amy's shoulder at the profile she's looking at.
JIMMY: He's captioned the photo of himself as 'the gun show'. He's a creep!
AMY: Oh, don't be mean! He's worked very hard on those guns!
DAVID: And not just the guns. Mm-mm!
No 30
Sonya has summoned Karl and Steph, and tells them she wants to do something special for Toadie. After his worries over killing the plant, she wants to give him a better symbol of their relationship. Sonya has already spoken to Steph about her plan, but says she'll need Karl's help too.
SONYA: I want to stage a surprise wedding vow renewal! And I'm going to use the Christmas party as a cover to invite everyone over. But no-one can know, except us.
Karl and Steph love the idea, and Karl suggests they should tell Susan so she can officiate. Sonya agrees, but is less keen on Karl's offer to provide music!
SONYA: We'll put a pin in that one for now, maybe.
But Karl is already coming up with song ideas...
Erinsborough High School
Susan and Elly summon Jack into the office. He's all prepared to be told that his suspension is being made permanent...
JACK: What's a bit of firing between friends?
... so is pleasantly surprised when Susan reveals that the situation has been resolved.
ELLY: It took a little bit of 'good teacher, bad teacher'...
But one of Luke's friends has cracked under pressure, Elly explains, and admitted that he was responsible for all the anonymous complaints about Jack, having blamed him for being dumped by Bec. They're all on detention, and an explanatory email has been sent to all parents. Susan says they might yet have convincing to do with some of the parents, but that it should all be okay.
Jack asks if Bec's okay, and Elly assures him she's fine. Susan apologises for Jack's having to go through all this, and asks if he's happy to come back. He says he would love to.
SUSAN: You know, you have Yashvi to thank for Bec coming forward. You obviously inspire great loyalty in the students.
JACK: Thank you again, Susan.
No 30
Steph tells Toadie and Sonya the good news about Jack's suspension being lifted. Sonya says it's another thing to celebrate at their Christmas party. Steph asks when they're sending out invitations, but Toadie thinks that's a bit formal - and suggests they make the party into a costume competition!
TOADIE: We could go as a gingerbread family. Or what about Mr and Mrs Claus? (...) We could get a snow machine too, yeah? And we can have a Christmas carol dance-off!
Toadie dances with Nell to demonstrate. Sonya and Steph exchange horrified looks. Once Toadie's safely out of earshot...
STEPH: Your vow renewal may be a little more memorable than you'd hoped!
Erinsborough High School
Jack thanks Yashvi for intervening to save his job, saying it was pretty big of her.
YASHVI: So no more detentions?
JACK: Unlike my old boss, I can't make miracles happen!
But Jack does offer Yashvi a counselling session to replace the one they missed earlier. Yashvi agrees, saying she doesn't want to disappoint Shane - explaining how he's worried that she might end up in jail like he did. Susan walks through with a subdued-looking Luke, for a meeting with his parents in her office.
YASHVI: So, this is what doing the right thing feels like!
JACK: Do you think you could get used to that?
YASHVI: Meh!
They laugh and walk off.
No 26
Amy tells David that she's invited Danny, the guy whose profile she's been looking at, on a date. David is excited for her. Jimmy emerges and says he's going to his friend Craig's tonight, leaving Amy free to go out with Danny tonight. At that moment, Danny replies, suggesting they meet at 9pm in the Back Lane Bar. Amy rushes off to get a shower, passing her phone to David for monitoring.
Once she's gone, another message comes through from Danny, saying, 'wear the blue shirt from your pic'. David notes that it wasn't Amy wearing a blue shirt in the photo, but Elly! Somehow the photo has been flipped so Elly's on the left, meaning Danny thinks she's the one he's going out with.
JIMMY: That's awkward!
They both agree that this setback would crush Amy's confidence. David wonders what to do...
Coming up on Neighbours
- Awkwardness between Gary and Terese prompts her to admit to Piper it's hard seeing him around
- Mishti tells the guilty- looking Brennans that she hopes the police solve the Hamish case soon
- Wracked by guilt, Sheila tells Gary she wants to go and tell the police she 'did it'. He objects
- 'Unmissable drama', says the voiceover
